News

Good Ofsted for St Joseph's

A SALISBURY secondary school is celebrating being given a good rating by Ofsted inspectors, who found pupils’ behaviour to be outstanding.

St Joseph’s School in Laverstock was inspected in November and graded outstanding for the behaviour and safety of pupils, and good in the other three categories considered – achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, and leadership and management.

The report said: “Students achieve well, including disabled students and those who have special educational needs. Teaching is good. Lessons generally provide suitable challenge and enjoyable learning experiences.

“Students’ outstanding behaviour supports their good learning. Their excellent attitudes, appetite for learning and positive outlook mean that they enjoy school and care deeply for it and for one another. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.”

It also said the senior leadership team works closely with other leaders and teachers in the school and their work is starting to have a positive impact on all aspects of school life, and the governing body has excellent understanding and rigorously supports and challenges school leaders.

But it said the school is not yet outstanding overall because occasionally tasks in lessons do not fully match the needs of all students and teachers do not consistently ensure that marking offers enough help to pupils.

Acting headteacher Rachel Ridley was delighted with the outcome. “It is just reward for the hard work and dedication of all members of the St Joseph’s family, including pupils, staff, governors and parents,” she said. “The performance tables published by the Department for Education clearly confirm our rapid improvements.”

Paul Hooper, chairman of governors, said: “The governing body is extremely proud of every member of staff and pupil, past and present, who have contributed to this fantastic report. Every year we set ourselves a more challenging target and each year we have exceeded expectations. We look forward to the future and the growing success and reputation of St Joseph’s.”